Automatic indicator-connecting coupling.



r -IonN' A. nEvINE, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA,

i AUTOMATIC, INnIoA'roacoNNEc'rINo coUrLING..

To. all 'whom'fit may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN citizen vof .the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county cf Marion and State of`lndiana,`liave invented certain new anduseful lImprovements in Automatic Indicator-Connecting.Couplings, of which the following `is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying-drawing.

My invention relates to an automaticcoupling means .for connectinof the motion transmitting means or cord oiD a -steam engine indicator to a reciprocating part of a steam engine, as the'v cross-head, as herein# after set forth and particularly. pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invent-ionis to provide a col'tpliug means whereby the indicator moltion transmitting means or cord will be readily connected or disconnected while the engine is in. motion. I attain this object byA means of the coupling' illustrated in the A accompanying drawings in which like numerals ofreference designate like parts 'throughout the several views.

' Figure l'is an enlargedlongitudinal sec-` tional deta'il View taken along the line A-B in Fig. 2; Fig. 2' is asimllar view taken along the line C-D in Figs. land 6; Fim 3 is an enlarged detail viewfof the coupling pin; Fig. 4 'is an end detail view of the same showing the clamping nut screwed on the split end of the same; Fig. 5' is an enlarged detail view of the indicator cord connecting hook; and, Fig. 6 is a sideelev vational View of a steam engine showing an indicatori and my invention of a coupling means applied thereto.

Arodl is secured to av reciprocating part of theengine to be indicated, preferably, in thiscase, t'othe cross-head 2, and-extends 'vertically therefrom. The coupling 3 is tubularzfin form and' is provided with aA flared or' hell-mouth formed open .end 4 whereby the engag'in plug end of thecouplin -pin 6 may be. t e more easily entered I to e en agedwhile the engline is in motion.

' of said splitthereof are forme rod 1 to firinly secure said tubular coupling Inte ra von .the closed en of the ltubular coup ing-t3'is'provided a s lit boss 7 which ,is bored-:to loosely receive t e rgd .1, and on thesai'dboss situated on the o {o'site' sides t e inte al clamping lugs 8' which are provided wit a clamping-screw '9 whereby lsaid lu'gs are drawn together to clamp said boss on said y Specification of Letters Patent. .Application mea .my 1a,- 1901. serial No. sss,'z1o.

A. DEVINE, a

yloore of the tubular coupling whil prevent 'its operation to engage tliecoiIl )ling clamping screw 9 is now tightened to Patented Nov. 16,1908,

spring latch 10 extends upwardly throu'1 the longitudinally extending slot ll'offti'e tubular coupling to be hingedly connected .tio

which extends through the bore of said tubular coupling 3 to be secured therein. vThe bottom trigger end 13 of the spring-latch l10 projectsconsiderably beyond the outer snrfaceof the tubular coupling an extent sufiicient to be readily struck by'any suitable object, as a rod, Spanner, or such, to tilt the hinge latch 10 to Vcause the catch 14 to disengagethe plug or engaging end 5 of-fthe when set in position on said rod.` The (i0 and mounted on the body of the .screwflf2 coupling p'ln 6. A spring retaining vnipple-fm 15 1s formed on the latch 10 which''is encircled by a coil spring 16 whereby tlreilitter is held in position on saidspriugllateh.

A stop-pin 17 is provided on said latch thesayme is provided for the purpose y ventmg the catch 14 moving too fa pin 6.

catch end or plug ended portion 5 andn an enlarged split ended portion 18 und a reduced central portion 19. The split ein larged .end portion 18 of the couplingfpm The coupling pin (i isprovided with.j

is slightly tapered toward its endv and threaded to receive the screw nut 20.' An

end bore 21 is formed to 'extend centrally with the axis of the pin 6 and .is adapted to receive the stein 22 of the eye 23. yThe end 23. The indicator motion transmitter or cord 24 is connected vat its opposite "ende-'to the indicator 25 in the usual manner to operate the indicator drum 2G.

The manner of using my inv'ention will be understood from the following description The cylinder 25 is lfirstplaced and secured in' operative position and connected to the cylinder of the engine in tho usual way, as shown in Fig. 6. The rod 1 is next secured to a reciprocating part of the engine, as the crosshead 2. I next apply tho huh 7 ot the tubular .coupling 3 to the rod l and adjustfthfe same in position thereon so that the bell-mouth or open flaring ond 4 will be directed toward, and its center will. be on s line' with'the horizontallv extending indi cator cord 24 as shown inv Fig.l 6. The cause the split boss 7 to securely clamp said rod l to hold the tubular coupling 3 in its adj usted position.

Before starting the engine the operator adjusts the indicator cord 24 to the length required to impart the proper amount of rotation to the drum 26 of the indicator. The operator now starts the engine and next takes the coupling pin 6 and holds in posivtion with the plug or engaging endA 5 directed toward the open bell-mouthed or flared end 4 of the tubular coupling 3 and by gradually moving the saidplug or engagmg end 5 of the 'coupling pin G toward said tubular coupling to the proper position the same is engaged immediately it enters said coupling and the connection made and motion is immediately impartedto the drum 26 of the indicator and the same is ready to make a card. The indicator card having beenv made the indicator must be at rest to remove the card therefrom orto replace it with a new blank card. y To bring the indicator drum 26 to rest the cord 24 must be disconnected from the coupling 3. This is readily accomplished by the operator who, by the use of a suitable tool or piece of metal, strikes the trigger I3 which operates the4 latch 10 to .swing on its pin 12 to tilt the said latch sulliciently to release the catch 14 from the plug or engaging end 5 of the coupling pin G whichlatter becomes released immediately and flies back toward the indicator. The indicator cord being thus released, the drum 26 comes to rest, so that the card with the diagram marked thereon may be removed and a blank card applied to the said drum if such is desired. i'

Sometimes it is desirable to make a number of cards in succession and' during the time of the taking of which the cord 24 may stretch on become extended and thereby not impart the proper'motion to the drum 26. Thisextension of the vcord 24 must be taken 'up from time to time during the test as the cord extends. For this purpose I provide the simple means illustrated in Fig. 3, and which consists of the adjustable eye 23 having the stem which vis removably secured and adjustable longitudinally in the bore 2l of the splitend of the coupling vpin 6. l To take up any extension ot' the cord 24 all that i'snecessary to be done is to turn the nut 22 which is screwed on the split end 1S of the coupling pin (5 toward the smaller end of the taperedsplit end 1S till the stem 22 is loose in the bore 2l so as to be capable of being moved 'longitudinally in said bore. This being done the' stem 22 is pushed into the bore 21 till the extension of the cord 24 is taken up after which the nut 20 is screwed on said end 1S till the latter clamps said stem 22 in said bore' 21 and the indicator cord 24 is adjusted and. the apparatus is ready for use again.

I claim 1.'In a motion transmitter for an indicator, the combination with a reciprocating part of a steam engine, of a rod removably secured thereto, a coupling socket adjustably secured to said rod, said socket carrying a spring latch, a coupling pin adapted to engage said latch and to bel attached to the indicato, the saidl latch having a depending leg adapted to be tripped, whereby the coupling pin may be released while the engine is in motion.

2. In 'a motion transmitter for an indicator, the combination with a reciprocating part of a steam engine,.of a rod removably securedV thereto,a coupling socket adjustably secured to said rod, a spring latch hingedly mounted in said socket, a coupling pin to engage said latch and to be attached to the indicator, and a depending leg on said latch adapted to be tripped, whereby the coupling pin may be released while the engine is in motion.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. l

JOHN A. DEVINE. 

